Andrew Bynum Talks About The Lakers Repeating, His All-Star Quest And The Paparazzi
Andrew Bynum (photo. Jeff Forney)
Andrew Bynum’s game has come so far since he entered the league out of high school in 2005. When healthy, Bynum can throw up numbers that are on par with almost any center in the league. He averaged a career high 14.3 ppg to go along with 8 rpg and 1.8 bpg. This season, he’s looking to make a bigger impact as the Lakers work towards winning back-to-back championships. Bynum took some time after yesterday’s training camp session to talk to Dime on the phone.
Dime: There have been reports that you came into camp in great shape. Where have you been working out this offseason and what have you been doing?
Andrew Bynum: With my trainer down in Atlanta. What we normally do is track workouts. Then we follow it up with a weight room routine whether it be for the legs or upper body. The majority of my summer has been leg workouts because I had to get my base back and I had to get the strength back in my legs. We might have done one maybe two upper body workouts a week and everything else was legs, four days of legs. Just trying to get strong and my quickness back.
Dime: What part of your game do you think you’ve improved in the most over the summer?
AB: Just shots all around the paint – 15-feet out. Just working on anything that’s going to get me to that next level. If people don’t honor my jumper than they’ll just baseline double me or not allow me to get to the middle. So I have to add something else to open those things back up to allow me to be a more efficient player.
Dime: Between Lamar Odom getting married to Khloe Kardashian and you guys being the returning champs, I imagine media day looked like a circus. How has the media attention compared to past seasons?
AB: Actually it wasn’t really that bad. It’s not going to be so much mainstream media, it’s going to be more the TMZ’s all that waiting around when we get to the hotel, and stuff like that. Mainstream media was about the same.
Dime: You’ve been around this city and the media craziness for the past four years. Do you ever get used to the TMZ’s and living under the microscope in L.A.?
AB: Yeah you got to get used to it. It’s unfortunate but it comes along with the role. You give them that time, you give them the answers their looking for and you keep it moving and that’s what you got to do. The bottom line is some of it’s good some of it’s bad, you know what I mean? It’s not a bad thing for everyone to know you. And you shouldn’t be doing the things that get you in trouble in those publications anyway. I’ve definitely had my experiences with paparazzi. For me, I’m very casual I just take it with a grain of salt. They ask me whatever they want I give them my answer than keep it moving.
Dime: As the leader on the team, what has Kobe done to keep the focus on repeating?
AB: Actually you know what, it’s kind of been funny. He definitely has told us what it’s going to take and talked about winning it again and things like that. But for the most part, he’s never really had to. I think everybody’s come into camp this year understanding that, ‘look we’re the team to beat.’ Everybody’s gotten better and I think we’re ready to go right now.
Dime: You guys have been in training camp for a few days now. Describe what the vibe has been in practice?
AB: Oh it’s been fun. Yesterday we did something, a five-man drill we call it. It’s like a four-on-four-on-four game and everybody was being competitive. The final score was like 9-8. One team had 8, one team had 10, one team had 9. Everybody was competing and having fun.
Dime: How is Ron Artest looking in practice?
AB: Oh man Ron is a beast, I love him to death. He’s definitely a cool guy and I think he’s definitely going to help us on the defensive side and bring us toughness. And on offense, we’re unstoppable. You can’t double off anybody, everybody can make plays. I think he’ll be great for us.
Dime: So is he adjusting to the triangle offense?
AB: Yeah he’s picking it up quick. He’s been studying it all summer.
Dime: Last year Sasha Vujacic’s game declined a little bit. How is he been looking in practices so far?
AB: Yeah he’s been looking great. He’s shooting the ball well. To me he’s gotten tougher. He’s been taking the ball to the rim a lot more.
Dime: What do you expect out of yourself this season?
AB: Personally for me this season, my goal is to be on that All-Star team. And that’s the new priority. I think it’s definitely something I can do, I’ve shown that. Hopefully I’ll be injury-free this year. And then obviously with Yao being out and Shaq being traded back to the East Coast, I think that center position is wide open.
Dime: Are you guys going to repeat?
AB: Yes, definitely. That’s the goal, nothing less. And you know what’s funny is being on the Lakers just makes you think that way because it’s a storied franchise.
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October 2nd, 2009 at 10:47 am
Rare Air says:
Awesome interview – Bynum knocked it out – cannot wait for the season to start.
Excited to see Ron Ron ball up, Drew stay healthy the whole year, and a repeat back to Hollywood.
Kobe for MVP wouldn’t hurt either
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:16 am
knock knock says:
I hope he’s been working on his legs but it won’t help that much. Anybody notice that bynum jumps less than yao ming for a dunk?? I swear this guy’s vertical is about 4 inches.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:17 am
knock knock says:
Hence why he sucks at rebounding. And even gets his shot blocked many times. If he had any atheltic ability, he’d be d-howard.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:23 am
karizmatic says:
You need to work on some of your grammar usage Gerald.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:29 am
ERIC says:
I watched Real Training Camp on NBATV and Bynum looked in great shape, constantly blocking shots. He needs to stay in the game to, at the very least, intimidate and use his length. He wont be more than a 3rd option (4th of Ron starts jacking) on offense so he needs to focus on defense, rebounding and blocking shots.
He sounds a little selfish and big headed. Hope he becomes a little more humble considering he hasnt contributed anything to the last 2 significant playoff runs.
*im a lakers fan, kobe supporter and i am hoping bynum realizing his potential*
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:34 am
Shrink This says:
I know Bynum is young and may have potential that he hasn’t yet realized, but sometimes he reminds me of a young Brad Daugherty.
I guess given the quality of the centres around the league at present, this may not be that bad, but it makes me realize how good we had it in the ’90s in terms of big men.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:40 am
sh!tfaced says:
Bynum ain’t nothing more than a more talented version of Eddy Curry.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:46 am
Cha-Ching says:
If he stays out of foul trouble he will be ok. Kareem needs to work on that with him. Remember, if he went to college then he would be a rookie right now. Not to mention how many games he has missed due to injury.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:46 am
jzsmoove says:
If he ends up being a 15/10 guy and throw in 2 blocks here and there, he would realize his potential already. Nobody expects him to be more, if he does its only gravy. He should keep his mouth shut along the way though. And he should also keep off the off-court distractions as evidenced by his Pplayboy Mansion antics.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:49 am
Cha-Ching says:
He is still a very young man. You would have went to the Playboy Mansion to. Thats like top ten on every mans list of places to go. No rape charge, no drugs, no guns, its all good.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
ab_40 says:
dude says fun and funny a little too much. Phil obviously isn’t drilling em I wonder who’s gonna come out of the gate better them boston or orlando. I expect san antonio and cleveland to have some adjustment time in the first month. in terms of matchups bostno is top notch in the east because cleveland has so many weak links.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
dh says:
as a laker fan, i’m glad to se bynum working and trying to improve. he seems to have a good attitude and sets goals for himself. so many guys get lazy, fatten up, and never improve their game. good for ab and good for the lakers.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
jon says:
He is a solid big man he’s gonna b a 15/10 and 1.5-2.0 guy but do u really want ur 7 footer shotin jumpshots from 15 feet out
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Reddi Red says:
nothing wrong with a 7 footer shooting 15ft out. that is the direction the game is going anyhow.
i’ve always been a fan of andrew bynum. not really sure why. . . . maybe cuz i have seen some of the raw talent and i think in another 2 injury free years, he may end up being the best 5 out there. . . . . that is if he continues to work on his jump shot and athlicism.
if fact, we (detroit) will gladly take AB for rip and tayshuan.
GM’s can we work that out?
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
This guy won’t start the All-star game if Al Jeff has anything to say about that. But hopefully they go with the 2 fowards, 2 guards, 1 point guard format next season (Austin Burton’s idea) and Duncan will start next to Pau, Dirk or Stat.
Besides that I was watching Real Training camp with the Lakers and my boy Reggie Miller said this team could rival the 72 win season Bulls. They said the same thing last year but with the addition of Ron Artest I think I have to agree this year. They have all the pieces. But Reggie also said that he picks the Celts to take it this year which I also have to agree with.
Either way Lakers v. Celtics 2010 finals
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Royal says:
@sh!tfaced:eddy curry is very talanted, his only drawback is his fatness and the fact that he is super lazy
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:13 pm
doc says:
Hell yeah you want your 7 footer shooting 15 footers if he can shoot them.That opens the floor up.I think the youngin gonna be a problem barring injury for years to come.And there is no such thing as a ballplayer as being to cocky.Im sure thats a big part of the reason why we listening to his ass talk because he was confident enough to get there.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
doc says:
And if hes a more talented eddy curry,is that a knock?When in shape Curry put up numbers.And people hate on Curry all they want,but lets see your damn family get killed in a home invasion and see if you can just put that shit away in your mind and concentrate on your job full force.The most critical people are the most flawed.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
sh!tfaced says:
Curry and Bynum are two mad talented big men but lack concentration and are as lazy as shit. Really don’t blame Curry because of all the crap that happened to him. He was living a nightmare for most of last season. But he’s still a bust, nightmare or no nightmare. While Bynum, who’s obviously more talented (that was a compliment, btw, lol), and had evetything going for him, especially last season, but lacks focus and is so sluggish that even Kareem has given up on him.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:58 am
chief youngblood says:
no adam morrison questions or comments
consider me disappointed
October 5th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Jacqueline Mitchell says:
I LOVE the Lakers and cannot wait to see them this season. It’s gonna be fun,interesting but fun!!!
October 5th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
JL says:
Haha the machine has gotten tougher – AB you are full of s@#t!!!
Time to step up and be a a big time factor ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR…